


P.O.I. High (Part 2)

by mother_finch



Series: P.O.I. High [2]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen, mother-finch fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-03-29
Packaged: 2018-03-20 04:46:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3637248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mother_finch/pseuds/mother_finch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>PROMPT: root x Shaw school au prompt: root and shaw have been secretly dating for months. the only ones that know are John (Shaw's best friend) and Harold (root's best friend). martine (popular girl) starts crushing on root and flirts with her/makes advances towards her. root politely rejects them, but Shaw gets irrationally jealous and is pinned between her need to claim root as hers and her pride to not let anything show.</p>
            </blockquote>





	P.O.I. High (Part 2)

_This is a date. This is definitely a date._  Root’s heart is fluttering around in its cage, and she begs it to be quiet. It bounces around; a drum beating to the lyrics in her head:  _This is a date._

 _But is it?_ Root shifts her eyes down and over to the left, where Sameen leans against her side, subconsciously shoveling popcorn into her mouth. Root is sitting up fairly straight on her living room couch, but Sameen has already made herself at home in Root’s abode. The living room lights are off, and a movie plays on the television screen: A Walk Among the Tombstones. Sameen had told Root about her longing to see the action movie since Monday, and Root rented it, hoping to have a fun movie night- all four of them. However, John was going out and Harold had an extra tech class, so it went from a party to a date.  _A date_ , Root thinks, _this is a date._

From her side, Shaw scoots up crossing her legs and leaning forward, immersed in an action scene. Yet Root can’t concentrate on anything the television shows. The only thing she can concentrate on is where Sameen’s free hand brushes Root’s leg, and where their hips touch. She looks at Sameen’s attire: deep blue boxers and a black tank top, hair flowing like a waterfall on her shoulders. Root looks down at her own pajama pants and a matching green flannel shirt.

"Thah’s nah good," Shaw says through a mouth full of popcorn. Root is jarred from her thoughts.

"What?"

* * *

 

"The ink," Sameen swallows, pointing at the screen. "It’s coming off of the fake money they made." Completely lost, Root nods.

"Oh, yeah. That’s bad."

Shaw turns her head to Root, a smirk playing on her face. Root looks over at her, her face bathed in the pale light of the screen.

"What?" Root asks, a little too defensive. Shaw gives a silent laugh.

"You’re not paying attention at all, are you?" There’s amusement in her voice, and Root finds herself unable to lie.

"No."

Sameen slides around, facing Root with her full body on the couch. “What are you thinking about?”

 _You._  “Homework,” Root replies, looking back to the movie. “Who’s that guy?” She asks, trying to turn the conversation. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Shaw try to suppress a smile.

"The main character."

"Oh," Root says, mildly surprised. "Thought he looked familiar."

Sameen snorts, then leans her head back on Root’s shoulder to watch the movie. “We don’t have to watch it if you’re  _bored._.” She suggests, but Root shakes her head.

"Not bored," she replies.  _With my mind running such wild circles, how could I be?_ She thinks.

She feels something in her hand. It’s warm, and interlocks with her fingers. She swallows hard, and looks down. Her suspicions are correct. Her heart gives a sky high jump to see Sameen’s hand in her own. Her head shoots straight back the movie, her whole body tingling.

"You’re either scared or excited," Sameen says aloud, not taking her eyes from the movie. Root’s brow furrows.

"How do you-"

"Your pulse is  _insane_.”

Root swears like a trucker within her head, cursing herself and cursing her blood.

"And since you’re not paying any attention to this," she continues, gesturing to the screen, "it has to be me." Her smile is coy, and Root tries to calm her crazed nerves- get one clear thought through her head. "You like science; it’s experiment time." Shaw says, a laugh in her voice, but eyes serious.

She leans in closer, and Root’s heart gives an insuppressible jolt. Sameen smiles. She comes closer, slowly and smoothly leaning in, and Root’s heart goes from a quick beat to a nerve racking drum roll. Sameen’s face is close- extremely close. She tilts her head to the side slightly, making sure their noses don’t bump, and stops just shy of Root’s lips.

"If I didn’t know any better," she whispers, sending Root’s mind into a spiral, "I’d say you’re part humming bird."

Root can’t breathe. Her lungs won’t work, and her mouth is stuck slightly agape. Her eyes look straight at Sameen, trying to focus on her eyes. Instead, they stay at her lips. Shaw gives a small smile, with disbelieving laughter coming to her lips.

"Well this is a tricky situation," Sameen explains with a delighted rumble in her voice. Root tries to ask what, but not a sound escapes. "This was  _supposed_  to be a joke but, uh,” Sameen’s eyes are stuck on Root’s and Root finally looks up to meet them, “it seems like an increasingly good idea.” Root feels her glasses fog.

Lungs burning, heart near exploding, and nerves screaming, Root can stand this no longer. Her mind runs blank, and she thinks of nothing. Just lurches herself forward, and her mind explodes in a colorful burst as her lips collide with Shaw’s.

_________\ If Your Number’s Up /__________

A week goes by in a rush. A month is a blink. The second month of school creeps in, and Root is confused. There’s no other way to put it.  _After school, Sameen comes over. Do homework, watch TV, play video games- anything. She stays for dinner, spends the night on weekends. Outside of the school building, Sameen is… my girlfriend,_  she decides.  _But inside?_  That, she doesn’t know.

Escaping from her thoughts, she closes her locker, seeing Sameen leaning against the ones beside it. In her daze, Root hadn’t even noticed she was there.

"Hey, Sweetie," Root smiles, all her confused thoughts melting away with the sight of Sameen. Sameen looks around, calculating how many people could have heard the pet name.

"How’s your day been?" Sameen asks coolly, taking one of Root’s books, turning it around in her hands.

"Good, yours?" She wants to confront her on the way she acts in school, but Shaw’s undeniable charm makes it hard.

"Hey, love birds," John Reese’s voice greets them as he comes to a stop in front of the two, Harold at his side, brandishing a smug smirk.

"Shut up, Reese." Sameen spits back, and he puts his hands up with mock defeat.

"Your girlfriend, your problem," he remarks, and Sameen’s eyes turn to slits.

"You ready for AP Calc?" Harold asks Root, books at the ready. Pushing her glasses up higher, she nods.

"See you later?" She asks Sameen, and receives a smirk in return. Placing the book atop Root’s pile, she tucks a strand of hair back behind Root’s ear.

"Do you even have to ask?" She counters, and Root smiles. Walking away with Harold to her next class, she wonders how she could have ever questioned Sameen.

Shaw watches her walk off, eyes following her through the throng, gears turning within her head.

"How long you plan on hiding this?" John asks. Sameen ponders that same question in her own mind. She thinks a minute. Then shrugs.

"Until the time is right," she replies simply, pushing off the wall. Walking the opposite way, she stops at the corner, hearing a haughty voice describe a familiar person.

"Yeah, that brown haired chick in my next class? Glasses, pretty tall? Groves or something?" The girl’s voice says from behind the corner. There is mumbling agreement, then she continues. "Not really my type- I’m not into  _dorks_ -” there is giggling. “But… She’s  _kinda_  cute. And besides, she can totally get me to pass AP Calc.” More giggling. “I can deal with hitting on her for a while. Might help the poor girl,” she says with mock sympathy, “she could use someone worth  _while_ in her life.”

Sameen bristles, and John puts his arm out in front of her, making her stop.

"Oh my gosh," a bubbly girl voice responds, "you’re  _so_  smart, Martine.”

 _Martine_. At the name, Sameen sees red. Everything about her angering Sameen- boiling her blood. She can picture her bleach-blonde hair, lying blue eyes, and pretty-girl manicure. She feels her lips curl back into an involuntary sneer. Pushing past John, she rounds the corner, head down. When Martine sees her, she stops smiling. Sameen stalks past, giving her a hard shoulder check along the way, but says nothing. John follows quickly behind, looking at the girls- daring them to say a word. Thankfully, they don’t and the two head off to gym. Almost out of earshot, Sameen hears Martine’s voice.

” _Ew_ , can you believe that _freak?_ ”

__________\ We’ll Find You /__________

"Hi,  _Cutie_ ,” Root jumps, hearing the unfamiliar voice next to her ear. Looking over, she sees a blonde girl with a Cheshire cat smile.

"Um…" Root replies, looking the new comer up and down. With a polite smile, Root continues, "Please, don’t call me that."

"Oh, come  _on,_ " Martine replies, pouting her lips. "It suits you." Root turns away, collects her thoughts, then responds.

"Is there something you want from me?"

"I  _want_  a _chance_ ,” she says with provocative eyes, pouring herself over Root’s desk. “With. You.”

Root barely stifles a laugh. “No, I cannot give you that.”

"Well why not?" She presses.

"I have a-" she falters. "A lot of other things going on."

Martine gives Root a condescending look. “An intelligent girl like you? I’m sure you could figure  _something_  out.” She practically drools compliments on Root’s desk, and her uncomfortable feelings towards this it-girl grow. She struggles to find any more kind ways of declining. The bell rings, and Root springs from her desk, hustling towards the door. To her dismay, Martine comes with her, matching her stride for stride. “Intelligent  _and_  adorable,” she coos, draping her hands over Roots shoulders. Root turns her head away, closing her eyes and pressing her lips together.  _If I stay like this and click my heels three times_ , Root thinks with frustration,  _will she go away?_

Opening her eyes, she tries to shrug Martine off, but that only strengthens her grip. “ _Please,_ " she whines. "Just  _one_ chance with a  _great_ girl like you?”

Looking forward, Root’s eyes connect to Shaw’s. They are piping hot with rage. Root opens her own wide, almost able to hear them scream ‘Help me.’ Sameen responds to the plea.

"Hey,  _Root_ ,” Sameen says between clenched teeth. “Make a new friend today?”

"No, I-"

"Soon to be more than friends, right?" Martine says, talking to Root instead of Sameen. Before Root can reply, Martine answers for her. "Right. Catch ya later." With that she walks off, high heels clicking down the hallway. Shaw watches her walk off, murder in her eyes.

"Thanks. Sort of." Root says with a smile, looking back in Martine’s direction. "But she seems like the type that’ll be back tomorrow."

"Yeah, well I’ll deal with her if she is," Sameen retorts, then grabs Root’s hand. Root is stunned by the public display. "We gotta go." She drags Root down the hallway, walking fast, and Root has to jog part of the way to keep up.

"Go where?" Root calls to her, swerving through bodies that streak by in a flash.

"We’re going out spying," she replies cryptically, coming to a stop next to the service room. Turning the corner, Root sees John already there. "Where is he?" Shaw asks.

"Where’s w-"

"He’s out there," John points a finger out the window, and the two girls rush to it. Root’s eyes widen.

” _Harold?!_  What’s he  _doing_? Who is  _she_?” Root spews the questions out, and Sameen whacks at her shoulder for her to shut up.

"He’s spending lunch with  _Grace_ ,” Sameen coos smugly.

"He told  _you_ , but not  _me?!_ ”

"No," John cuts in with a smirk. "I tapped into his phone." Root gives him a skeptical look. "Alright, I read over his shoulder. Still, props to me." Root smiles, then turns back to the window.

She watches Harold’s smile, his warm stance and happy eyes. His arms are around the waist of a fair-heighted girl: Grace. The girl has deep red hair, a radiant smile, and a pretty face. Harold says something to her and she laughs, turning her head away to clam herself to small giggles. Looking up, she notices the three in the window, and cocks her head to the side slightly. The smile is still on her face, but there is a confusion in her eyes. Harold sees this shift and follows her gaze. Instantly, his eyes widen with mortification, and his mouth opens in anger and disbelief. Sameen shoots him a smirk, wiggling her fingers in a small wave. Root smiles, giving him two thumbs up.

Grace smiles at the three, waving back in a sprightly manner. Harold, on the other hand, gives them a venomous glare, body language screaming for them to get away.  _But what kind of friends would we be to leave him unsupervised?_ Root thinks with a laugh. She looks over to Shaw, who gives her a warm smile. Something she only sees when they are alone. Trying not to blush, she leans her head on Sameen’s shoulder, and joins in on the bombardment of silly faces and encouraging gestures to Harold until the end of lunch.

__________\ P.O.I. High /__________

Root loved watching Sameen in Literature. She was smart, like any other student, like Root herself. However, there was something different about it. There was a difference between knowing something in your head, and knowing something in your heart- Sameen seemed to know it in both. For a girl who doesn’t carry a book, there is something wonderful in her internal knowledge of the subject. Out of all their classes, this seemed to be the only one Sameen actually enjoyed. She had a way with words and a way with interpreting them that stood out from anyone Root had ever seen. It was mesmerizing, Root acknowledged, to see Sameen at work in this class. She enjoyed the nights of homework, hearing Shaw read off metaphors and poetry assignments- the only class Root didn’t have to force her to complete. There was just something magic in it all- and Root could help but love it.

The bell rings, and Root gathers her things to leave the class. She starts to wait for Sameen, but Mrs. Highbrooks gets to her first.

"Sameen, may I have a word with you?" She asks, walking out from behind her desk, hustling down her aisle way. Sameen looks past her to Root, and Root nods with a smile. She heads out of the classroom as Mrs. Highbrooks begins to talk. "You’re paper is the-"

"Hey,  _you_ ,” an unsettling voice greets Root’s ears as soon as she leaves the classroom. She stiffens, not meeting the girl in the eyes.

"Hello." Root replies, and a nanosecond later, "bye now."

"Hey, hey,  _wait_ ,” Martine stops her with a hand to the center of the chest, pushing Root quite forcefully to the wall. “What’s wrong with you?”

” _Me?_ " Root scoffs. " _You’re_  the one who won’t leave  _me_  alone.”

” _Because I like you,_ " Martine says leaning in close to Root’s face. "Do I have to be so  _obvious?_ " Root slides to the left, but Martine follows her steps, hand not leaving Root’s chest. "I thought I’d walk you to our next class. Give us time to talk about some things. Like…" Martine takes a strand of Root’s chocolate hair and toys with it between her fingers. "How  _absolutely_  adorable you are?”

"Look who’s back," Shaw’s voice is casual, but Root can hear the underlying hint of hostility. Martine gives Sameen an unpleasant smile.

"I’d say it’s nice to see you again, but… it’s really not." Martine shrugs, then looks back to Root.

"C’mon, baby, let go to c-"

” _Don’t_  call her that,” Sameen’s voice raises in volume, and her voice hardens. Martine gives her a mock bewildered look.

” _Oh?_  And what authority do  _you_  have over me?”

"Authority? None," Shaw admits, stepping forward. "But true motive? I know that." Martine’s haughty smile falters, and she drops Root’s hair.

"I have no clue what you’re-"

"So you don’t remember that little chat you had with your airhead posse the other day?" Sameen asks incredulously, taking another step forward. Martine finally releases Root, who immediately steps away from her, coming closer to Sameen. She can see a microscopic smile momentarily flash on Shaw’s face. Then, she is back to her slamming. "That one where you said you wanted to use her for your  _grade?_ ”

Silence.

Sameen laughs. “I  _knew_  you were stupid, but I didn’t know you were _this_ -“

"You know what?!" Martine shrieks with a glass-breaking pitch. A few students stop to stare. Sameen only gives her a cool look, which seems to make Martine break even further. "I was doing that- that _loser_  a favor! I was  _helping_  her!”

"You were harassing her," Shaw points out.

"I was gonna give her someone who could pretend to care about her."

"She doesn’t need that." Root feels electricity burst through her veins as Sameen wraps a protective arm around her waist. "She already has people that  _actually_  care.”

Martine glowers, anger simmering on her skin; her blue eyes dressed to kill. “ _Fine_.” She huffs out menacingly. “I can find anyone else in that class, and know what? They’ll actually be  _worth_  my time.” Sameen gives her a dark smile, eyes narrowed.

"You do that; just stay away from Root."

Now, it’s Martine’s turn to laugh. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize she was already  _taken_.” Sameen says nothing- wanting to acknowledge that very fact, but pride getting in the way. Her hand tightens on Root’s side, trying not to pounce. With a flip of her hair, Martine starts to walk off, then stops, looking to Root. “You might be a nobody,” she says, her words a mixture of normalcy and ice. “But you could do better than  _that_.” She stalks off, cocky strut and turned up nose, meeting with her friends at the end of the hall. Sameen drops her hand, putting it to her own head and groaning.

Root watches her, watches her lean against the wall of lockers, hand to her head, breathing slow. She leans her shoulder against the wall, eyes scanning over Sameen, until she finally looks up. Her eyes are clouded, a storm of thoughts swirling within them.

"You okay?" Root asks.

"Yeah, Root," Sameen sighs, pushing her way up and into the hallway crowd. And then, she’s gone. Out of sight, leaving her strings of mystery to tie themselves around Root.  _What’s going on inside that scary little head of hers?_ She thinks, looking in the direction she last saw Sameen.  _What on earth is she thinking?_


End file.
